Description
Chile Colorado is a classic Mexican beef stew featuring tender chunks of beef simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce made from toasted dried guajillo and ancho chiles blended with tomatoes, garlic, and spices. This hearty dish is perfect served with warm tortillas, Mexican rice, and refried beans, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for a burst of freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chile Colorado Sauce:
- 6-8 dried guajillo chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 2-3 dried ancho chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (or water)
- Salt to taste
For the Beef:
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
To Serve:
- Flour tortillas or corn tortillas
- Mexican rice
- Refried beans
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Toast the Chiles: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
- Soften the Chiles: Place the toasted chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes to soften fully.
- Blend the Sauce: Drain the softened chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and beef broth. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Prepare the Beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Season the Beef: Season beef cubes with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder evenly.
- Sear the Beef: Add beef in batches to the hot pot, searing on all sides until browned, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove browned beef and set aside.
- Combine Ingredients: Return all browned beef to the pot and add the bay leaf.
- Add Sauce and Simmer: Pour the blended chile sauce over beef and stir to combine well.
- Cook the Stew: Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer gently for 1.5-2 hours until beef is tender and the sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally. Add more beef broth or water if sauce becomes too thick.
- Finish: Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Serve: Serve Chile Colorado hot with warm tortillas, Mexican rice, refried beans, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for an added zest.
Notes
- To deepen the flavor, you can char the tomatoes slightly before blending.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- Leftover Chile Colorado tastes great the next day, as flavors meld even more.
- For a thicker sauce, simmer uncovered for the last 15 minutes.
- Use beef broth for richer flavor or water for a lighter version.
- The dish can be paired with corn or flour tortillas based on preference.
